SLMG cash plea

Letters have been sent out to around 900 crofters and farmers in Shetland seeking cash and moral support to save the troubled Shetland Livestock Marketing Group. The co-op needs to raise around £10,000 as half its contribution to a £20,000 business review which should show if it has a viable future.

A favourable report could be the key to unlocking increased council funding in future to help the co-op strengthen its role in Shetland agriculture. In the meantime councillors have agreed a £20,000 grant to help pay the co-op’s bills during its current crisis caused by bad debt.

In an attempt to breathe new life into SLMG it is holding three public meetings next week for anybody involved in Shetland agriculture to put forward comment and ideas about the group’s future. The first is in the Gutcher cafe on Monday at 6.45pm then on to Voe hall on Tuesday at 7pm and Cunningsburgh hall on Friday at 7.

SLMG chairman Ronnie Eunson said he had been bowled over by the support being shown by crofters and farmers since news of the crisis emerged at the end of January.